India fast bowler Harshal Patel said that AB de Villiers, with whom he shared a dressing room this season at Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Indian Premier League, told him how to reduce the number of big overs he tends to have. De Villiers retired from all forms of cricket on Saturday, making the 2021 season of the IPL, in which Harshal equaled the record for most wickets in a single season.

“AB has had a massive impact in my career. I have always been a silent observer of him,” Harshal said in a press conference after Saturday’s match.

“Just before the UAE leg (of the IPL) I had asked him how I can reduce my big overs. I have conceded even 30 runs in an over in the IPL and I wanted to avoid that. He told me to not change my tactics when the batsman hits me on my good deliveries,” said Harshal.

“You have to force the batsman to hit your good deliveries instead of changing it as soon as you get hit because that is something that the batsman expects. That is something that stayed with me throughout the UAE leg of IPL and it will stay with me throughout my career.”

Earlier De Villiers’s longtime RCB team mate and former captain Virat Kohli also paid tribute to De Villiers. “To the best player of our times and the most inspirational person I’ve met, you can be very proud of what you’ve done and what you’ve given to RCB my brother. Our bond is beyond the game and will always be. This hurts my heart but I know you’ve made the best decision for yourself and your family like you’ve always done. I love you@ABdeVilliers17,” said Kohli.

AB de Villiers, who hangs up his boot as one of the greatest players in the shortest format of the game, hit 9424 runs in 340 matches in T20 cricket having played franchise-based cricket across the globe. He had retired from international cricket in 2018, after scoring 1672 runs in 78 T20Is, 9577 runs in 228 ODI matches and 8765 runs in 114 Tests.